1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a lid latching arrangement for use in securing a lid structure to an open-topped, vehicular container. More particularly, the present invention relates to a lid latching system, assembly, method for automatically and non-manually latching a container lid to an open, topped, cargo type vehicular container.
2. Description of Related Art
As noted in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0234926 ('926 Publication), also authored by Brewster, covers or lid structures for gondola type rail cars first appeared in the 1950's in an attempt to prevent environmental debris from coming into contact with the cargo contained in the cars. In the 1970's, gondola covers were added to prevent precipitation and/or moisture from contacting cargo (such as coal) and further to prevent portions of the cargo (such as coal dust) from escaping the container during transport.
In the 1980's, covers were installed on gondola cars as a means to prevent moisture penetration and wind erosion of fine ore. Many of these prior art covers or lid structures were held in place by manually actuated devices to prevent wind erosion. Additionally, moisture could not be tolerated. In response to the foregoing problems, covers were added. These early covers assemblies incorporated the use of manually operated hold down or latch type devices.
Gondola covers, especially those constructed from lightweight materials such as fiberglass often lack sufficient weight; a train moving through a cross wind will experience certain “kiting” or “wing” effects, which effects often lift such lightweight covers or lids off the car. In response to this problem, certain so-called “positive” hold-down devices were then developed. Manually actuated hold-down devices function well to hold down gondola covers, but are labor intensive and have been found to be damage prone.
In the 1990's certain so-called automatic hold down devices were introduced by Eco-Fab of Vancouver, British Columbia. These devices were not truly automatic devices, however. The devices operated to “lock” the cover when it was dropped on to the railcar/gondola. The removal of this type of cover required a “spreader” device cooperatively associated with an overhead crane, which spreader device would drop down and engage the locks so that when the cover was lifted, the locks would release in a manner similar to manual lock release. A more accurate term for these types of devices is perhaps a “semi-automatic” lock.
With specific reference to patented prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 1,888,653 ('653 patent), issued to Bonsall, discloses a Removable Gondola Car Roof. The '653 patent describes an invention which relates to removable roofs for gondola cars. It has for its principal objects to provide a sectional sheet metal roof that can be readily assembled on and dismounted from cars of the above type that can be applied to cars of substantially different widths and to cars with bowed side rails that will permit the sheets to be compactly stacked for shipment.
The invention essentially consists in the removable gondola car roof, and in the parts and arrangements and combinations and parts described and claimed. The outer side marginal portions of the eaves plates of the roof are offset upwardly to form supports for the eaves and portions of the roof sheets; and said roof sheets are rigidly secured to the sheet supporting portions of said plates by means of carnage bolts that extend through the widened eaves and portions of the base flanges of the overlapping ribs of the sheets and the body portion of the sheets located therebelow. It will thus be seen that the roof or lid sections are bolted to the gondola car—a manually dependent securing arrangement.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,985,118 ('118 patent), which issued to Maharick et al., discloses a Gondola Car Roof. The '118 patent describes certain panels which are locked on angle irons by clamps each of which comprise a pair of spaced vertical plates welded to a web and flange in the center thereof. The plates are cross drilled with aligned openings therein, the inner openings being provided for a draw pin retained, when assembled, by a chain affixed to the flange and a cotter pin.
A pin in the outer opening constitutes a fulcrum for a steel strap having the upper forward end thereon bent downwardly over the fixed pin in the plates, and the rearward end thereof being looped downwardly and outwardly to underlie the pin. The free outer end of the strap is bent downwardly and inwardly to form a hook adjacent a boss on the angle of the supporting rail. When it is desirable to remove the panels, the draw pin is removed and the strap is moved outwardly then swung upwardly about the pin, until the strap lies parallel and adjacent to the flange. It will be seen that the latch device requires manual intervention to secure the roof to the gondola car.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,504,637 ('637 patent), which issued to Miller, discloses an Open Top Railroad Car having a Removable Roof Structure. The '637 patent describes a removable roof structure on a gondola railroad car having an open top wherein the roof structure comprises a plurality of separable roof sections releasably held together by a splice carline roof overlapping arrangement. Each roof section is provided with stacking structure for mounting one roof section upon the other for storage. A splice structure receives a stop mounted on the car and the corner of the roof end section is provided with a corresponding cooperating corner stop or stake to limit movement of the roof sections when placed atop the open car structure.
Certain manually or mechanically actuable roof locking means are provided that are on the open top car portion for locking of the roof sections as a unit on the open top car body. In this last regard, it will be seen from an inspection of FIGS. 10 and 11 that in order for the latch arm to be removed outwardly about its pivot portion, a counterweight must first be rotated clockwise to remove an ear out of obstructing position with respect to a lug on the roof side plate. Clearly, the roof locking means of the '637 patent are not automatic, and require manual intervention to effect locking securement and release.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,082 ('082 patent), which issued to Tedesco et al, discloses a Trough Hatch Locking Device. The '082 patent describes a locking device for railway hopper cars having continuous trough hatch openings and a plurality of associated hinged covers arranged end-to-end. Hold-down arms, also pivotally mounted, are positioned to overlap and seal adjacent hatch cover ends. Each hold-down arm has a spring loaded, locking latch with a keeper hook for automatically engaging an associated keeper lug mounted to the hopper car adjacent the hatch opening. The locking hatch has an upper flange that may be foot engaged to unlock the hold-down arm by pivoting the locking latch to disengage the keeper hook from the keeper lug. The '082 patent thus shows a locking or latching mechanism most easily operated by way of a user's foot. Human intervention at the latch site is thus required.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,674 ('674 patent), which issued to Wiens et al, discloses a Hatch Cover for Railroad Hopper Cars. The '674 patent describes a hatch cover comprising a main panel and a stepped periphery, both of which are constructed of polyester resin impregnated with glass fiber reinforcement. Stiffening ribs on the panel include a honeycomb core enclosed by a rigid shell formed by glass fiber reinforced resin. The entire periphery of the panel is strengthened by thickening it, and the areas to which the hinges are attached are thickened. The hatch cover is constructed by applying an exterior protective coating to a mold surface, spraying resin and chopped glass fibers into the mold, inserting the honeycomb core portions of the ribs into the mold in a crossing pattern, and spraying additional resin and glass fibers onto the honeycomb to form the shell which encloses the core of each rib.
Although not specifically illustrated, a suitable latch serves to hold down the hatch covers down in the closed position covering and sealing the open top of the hopper car. Opening of each hatch cover is accomplished by unlatching it and swinging it upwardly to the open position. Typically, opening of the hatch cover is carried out in a rough manner with the hatch cover being forcefully slammed downwardly toward the walkway. Additionally, it is not uncommon for workers to walk on the open hatch cover, thereby applying severe forces to the hinges, particularly if the hinges hold it up off of the walkway. Consequently, the sturdy construction of the hinge plates and the thickened areas of the hatch cover adjacent to the hinges are important in preventing cracks and other damage to these potential problem areas. The thickening of the entire peripheral portion of the hatch cover is also important in that the periphery is more susceptible to damage than the remainder of the cover. The '674 patent thus describes problems with manual latching systems, and addresses the problems via a unique, sturdy lid construction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,784 ('784 patent), which issued to Aspen, discloses a Latch Construction for Locking a Cover to a Platform of a Lorry. The '784 patent describes a latch construction comprising a profile rail bolted to the side members and back member of the platform; several manually operable latch units along the rail include latch elements for releasably receiving the straps depending from the cover; and a wire inside the rail for simultaneously operating all latch elements along the wire from a central latch device including a key-operated lock. In order to connect the wires from rails of adjacent side members, there are adapted manually operable interconnection devices. The straps are manually operable telescopic straps spring-biased towards the retracted position and are adapted to be releasably retained by a depending shoulder of the rail. The '784 patent discloses a latch construction highly dependent upon manual intervention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,402 ('402 patent) discloses a Removable Cover for Gondola Cars with Lightweight Composite Panel Construction is illustrative of certain state of the art gondola lid systems. The '402 patent describes a lid for gondola cars or the like comprising a rectangular frame approximating in geometry and size the open top of a gondola car and supporting therein a plurality of lightweight panels. The lightweight panels are made of polymer foam sandwiched between sheets of light gauge steel.
The lid is retained on the gondola car by a plurality of spaced manually-operated, ratchet binders and includes a pair of spaced tripod straps attached thereto, wherein the lid may be conveniently lifted from and replaced on existing gondola cars. The ratchet binders each have a strap or cable outfitted with a hook for engaging the lower surface of a rail, flange or the like on a gondola car. The ratchet binders are manually tightened by way handles. Notably, the '402 patent shows roughly a dozen ratchet binders in the illustrated embodiments. The '402 patent thus teaches or describes a lid latching arrangement also highly dependent upon manual intervention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,001 ('001 patent), which issued to Teague et al., discloses a Lid-to-Container Locking Assembly. The '001 patent describes a lid-to-container locking assembly for lock sealing containers utilized in the transporting, storage and disposal of low level radioactive contaminated material. The locking assembly gives visual indications of a locked, sealed condition of the container through the utilization of manually operable closure or locking elements that are ensconced in a latched position upon the lid to be secured, as well as to the container to be sealed. Detachment of the closure element at either of these points of its locking engagement with the lid and/or container will visually indicate an open and unsealed condition. Notably, the locking members 15 and 25 of the '001 patent are manually actuable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,341 ('341 patent), which issued to Putman et al., discloses a Gravity Actuated Container Lock for use on sedentary refuse containers. The '341 patent describes a locking mechanism for a container having a hinged lid comprising a shaft adapted to be secured to a container and journaled for rotation about its axis. A locking bar is removably secured to the shaft and rotatable about the axis with the shaft between a locked position and an unlocked position.
Notably, however, certain locking means, as exemplified by a padlock, are outfitted upon the shaft to prevent rotation thereof. Under normal operation the padlock must first be manually removed. Further, the container lock of the '341 patent is operable by way of lifting the container as outfitted with the lids and container lock only after the padlock has been removed. The '341 patent thus not only requires manual intervention to remove the padlock, but requires the user to lift and rotate both the container, lock, and lid combination.
Further, United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2007/0214997, which was authored by Zupancich, describes an open-top rail car cover defined by a frame having dimensions sufficient to fit an open-top freight car. A latch disposed about a side of the frame includes a first flange and a second flange that combine to define a means for receiving an engagement member of a rail car. Both the first and second flanges include at least one first aperture and at least one second aperture designed to receive a means for securing the car cover to the rail car. The first and second apertures have dimensions sufficient to permit movement of the first and second flanges about the means for receiving, which means are defined or exemplified by pin-like structure(s), and which pin-like structures must be manually inserted through said apertures to effect locking securement and release.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0234926, which was authored by Brewster, describes a semi-automatic lid latch which operates to secure the periphery of a lid to a container. The device comprises latch housing, a manually operable trigger assembly, an arm assembly, and a linkage assembly. The housing defines opposing trigger access windows for enabling manual operation of the trigger. The trigger assembly comprises a trigger having first and second member ends and is manually pivotable about the first pivot axis.
The arm assembly comprises first and second anchor ends and is pivotable about the second pivot axis. The linkage assembly links the second member end to the first anchor end for transferring manual trigger action to the arm assembly. The access windows enable bidirectional access to the trigger, which trigger is thus actuable from opposing directions at the first member end. The actuated trigger unidirectionally pivots the second anchor end for displacing the second anchor end from a locked position to a release position. The arm assembly is automatically actuable when the lid is secured to the container and manually actuable when the lid is released from the container.
In addition to the foregoing lid latching art, certain container securing art may be deemed pertinent to the present invention insofar as various latching means have also been developed in relation thereto. Some of the more pertinent art relating to container securement means and methodology and the like may be referenced in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,604,363; 3,604,364; 3,628,222; 3,630,155; 3,774,551; 4,236,853; 4,277,212; 4,372,715; 4,382,734; 4,382,735; 4,430,032; 4,626,155; 5,090,638; 5,106,247; 5,560,088; 5,570,981; 5,797,169; and 7,114,898.
Notably, United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2009/0047090 ('090 Publication), which was authored by Brewster, describes an improved cargo container securement device comprising a housing defined by a base which forms a planar surfacing thereabout on which cargo container corner fittings rest in applied relation on the container relative to the supporting structure or platform involved.
The Brewster device includes a flanged end which engages a cargo container corner casting aperture opening or an appropriate aperture and utilizes the structure for retention of the securement device so the opposite side of the hold down device is allowed to automatically engage and disengage with a cargo container corner fitting as necessary to achieve proper handling and transport of cargo containers. The device of the '090 Publication comprises an indicator to visually signal that the automatic hold down feature of the device is engaged or disengaged with a cargo container corner fitting of cargo containers.
Certain aspects of the device exemplified in the '090 Publication as well as the device of the '926 Publication, are built upon in this application to support a vehicular container, lid-latching system, assembly, and method. To this end, certain basic concepts of the Brewster devices otherwise described in the '090 and '926 Publications are improved upon or otherwise applied to support the system and methodology of this application.
It will be seen that the forgoing prior art teaches certain parameters for container and lid locks and use various complex solutions to meet the needs taught. Additionally, it may be seen that the prior art typically uses either complex spring mounting and seating arrangements or spring mounting and/or seating arrangements that are difficult to work with, and require some sort of manual intervention to secure and/or release the lid locks or lid latching hardware.